Bonaire Holidays: Shore Diving, Flamingos & Best Time to Visit from the UK

A By Anna · Updated 20 October 2026 · 3 min read

Airports

Flamingo International, Kralendijk (BON)

Flight time

about 13-15h from London, usually with one stop in Amsterdam

Best time to go

Year-round; April-November for calm seas and fewer visitors

Currency

US dollar (US$)

Bonaire is the quietest of the ABC islands and a byword among divers. Its entire coastline has been a marine park since 1979, and the reefs start just metres from the shore, so you can park beside a yellow-painted stone, wade in and be among corals and tropical fish within minutes. Above the water it is dry and low-key, with flamingos feeding in pink salt pans, wild donkeys on the roads and no high-rise resorts.

From the UK it is a long trip usually routed through Amsterdam. Bonaire is four hours behind the UK in winter and five in summer. It uses the US dollar, plugs are mostly the US two-pin type (around 127V), and cars drive on the right. It is a special municipality of the Netherlands, and easy to combine with Curaçao or Aruba.

Entry requirements

British passport holders can usually visit Bonaire visa-free for up to 90 days. Visitors pay a tourist entry tax online before or on arrival, and anyone diving, snorkelling or swimming in the marine park also needs a nature fee tag; check the current amounts on the official Bonaire sites. Your passport should be valid for your stay, and you may be asked for a return ticket and accommodation details. Rules change, so check GOV.UK foreign travel advice before booking.

Where to go in Bonaire

Kralendijk

The small capital has a seafront lined with cafés and dive shops, a handful of good restaurants and most of the island's hotels within a few kilometres. It is the natural base for a first visit.

Klein Bonaire

This uninhabited islet sits just offshore and is ringed by reef. Water taxis run from Kralendijk to No Name Beach, which has excellent snorkelling but no shade or facilities, so take water and sun protection.

The west coast dive sites

More than 80 marked dive sites run along the west coast, from 1000 Steps in the north to the reefs around the salt pier in the south. Most are accessible from the shore, which is why many visitors hire a pick-up truck to carry tanks.

Washington Slagbaai National Park

The northern third of the island is a rugged national park of cactus forest, salt lakes, flamingos and lonely bays, explored on rough dirt tracks. Go early, take plenty of water and allow most of a day.

Lac Bay and the south

On the east coast, shallow Lac Bay is famous for windsurfing and has mangroves you can explore by kayak. In the south, pink salt pans, white salt mountains and restored 19th-century slave huts are a sobering reminder of the salt trade.

Best time to visit Bonaire

Getting to Bonaire from the UK

There are no direct flights from the UK. KLM flies from Amsterdam to Bonaire, often as a triangle route via Aruba or Curaçao, and TUI also flies from Amsterdam. You can also reach Bonaire on short regional flights from Curaçao. Allow around 13–15 hours in total from the UK.

Getting around

There is almost no public transport, so a hire car or pick-up is essential for most visitors. Roads are quiet and distances short; you can drive from Kralendijk to Washington Slagbaai in about 30 minutes. Bikes and scooters work for getting around town, and taxis are available but not cheap.

Money and costs

Bonaire uses the US dollar, and cards are widely accepted. Groceries and eating out are pricey because almost everything is imported. Budget around £150–220 per person per day for a mid-range trip including accommodation, more if you are diving every day. Many divers save by staying in apartments with a kitchen.

We research every guide carefully, but prices, opening times and timetables change. Check them shortly before you travel. Links to our booking partners are affiliate links.